SourceCodester Simple Student Attendance System index.php cross site scripting

The XSS vulnerability in Simple Student Attendance System allows an attacker to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the application's web pages. This can be exploited to steal user cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, or deface the application's appearance. An attacker could potentially gain access to sensitive user data, such as student records or attendance information. The impact is amplified if the application is used in a shared hosting environment, as the vulnerability could potentially affect other websites hosted on the same server. The ability to execute JavaScript within the context of the application grants a significant level of control to a successful attacker.

Educational institutions and organizations utilizing Simple Student Attendance System for managing student attendance are at risk. Specifically, deployments using older, unpatched versions (1.0) are highly vulnerable. Shared hosting environments where multiple websites share the same server are also at increased risk, as a successful exploit could potentially impact other websites on the same server.

• php: Examine index.php for unsanitized use of the $_GET['page'] parameter. Search for instances where this parameter is directly outputted to the page without proper encoding.

if (isset($_GET['page'])) {
  $page = $_GET['page'];
  echo $page; // Vulnerable - no encoding
}

• web: Check access logs for unusual URL patterns containing JavaScript code in the page parameter. Look for patterns like index.php?page=<script>alert('XSS')</script>. • generic web: Use curl to test the vulnerability by sending a request with a malicious payload in the page parameter and observing the response for signs of script execution.

1. 2023-12-08Disclosure

   disclosure

1. आरक्षित2023-12-08
2. प्रकाशित2023-12-08
3. संशोधित2024-08-02
4. EPSS अद्यतन2026-04-02

The primary mitigation for CVE-2023-6616 is to immediately upgrade to version 1.0.1 of Simple Student Attendance System. If upgrading is not immediately feasible, consider implementing input validation and output encoding on the page parameter in index.php to sanitize user-supplied data. Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) configured to detect and block XSS payloads can also provide a temporary layer of protection. Regularly review and update the application's code to prevent future vulnerabilities. After upgrading, confirm the fix by attempting to inject a simple JavaScript payload through the page parameter and verifying that it is properly sanitized.